When uploading images, or text to your website it is very important that they are correctly optimised. Gif (Graphic Interchange Format) will compress your images - thereby reducing their size and allowing shorter download times. However, as a consequence, your image quality will suffer slightly. It is a matter of deciding which is best for you and your website - larger image file sizes with slow download times, or smaller image file sizes with quicker downloads. In this tutorial, I will show you how to save your image as a Non-transparent Gif.

Saving Jpegs, Gifs And Png Files - Loss Of Image Quality NotesIn order to keep the file size down, the compression process randomly takes away pixels from your photograph; and as a result, every time you save an image as a Jpeg, Gif, or Png file, its quality will degrade. Therefore, to keep your Jpeg, Gif and Png files in optimum condition, always save the original image as a Paint Shop Pro Image; then open the original Paint Shop Pro file, and save it as a Gif, Jpeg or Png. Your images will then be perfectly optimised every time they are saved.

2/Then from the upper menu, choose Export then choose Gif Optimiser. You will then be presented with the following Gif Optimiser dialogue box. Now, click the Transparency tab, and click a dot into None - as illustrated below. Do not click ok.

NoteWhilst you are changing the Gif Optimiser’s settings, keep looking at the right-side Preview Window to see how the settings are effecting your graphic. Additionally, prior to clicking OK, you can click a tab and change the settings at any time.

3/Now, ignoring the Partial Transparency tab - (this is reserved for transparent text or transparent graphics), click the Colours tab. Then enter the following settings into the subsequent dialogue box.

NotesYou will notice that the How many colours do you want tab displays 256 (colours); this is the maximum number of colours allowed for Gifs. A lower numerical value provides a lower file size - therefore, if your non-transparent Gif is made up of one or two colours, choose a lower numerical value. However, always use the maximum 256 if your image has multiple colours. If you want your graphic to be 100% Windows safe, then mark the IncludeWindows’ Colours box.

Click the Optimised Median Cut or the Optimise Octree to see which setting provides the best result. Depending on your image’s colours, one setting can produce a much better result than the other.

4/Now, click the Format tab, and you will be presented with the following dialogue box.

The Non-Interlaced and Interlaced tabs refer to how your image appears when opening in browsers, select your choice.

5/Select the Download Time tab - and the following dialogue box will inform you of various download times.

Use Wizard NoteIn my experience, it is better to optimise your Gifs manually, as described in this tutorial. However, for quickness, click open the Use Wizard tab, and a Transparent Gif Wizard dialogue box will guide you through 5 quick optimisation steps.

6/When you are happy with your optimisation result, click OK - and in the subsequent Save Copy As dialogue box, enter a name for your image, and save it to a folder you are familiar with, then click Save. Congratulations, your image file size has been compressed, and is ready to upload to your website as usual.

Further Gif Points1/ Gifs are best suited to simple graphics with few colours, such as screen screen captures and cartoons. As Gif supports a maximum of 256 colours, it is best to keep the number of colours to a minimum, thereby ensuring better quality graphics.2/ Gif reduces your file size, enabling your web pages to download quicker. Remember, slow loading websites tend to encourage visitors to go elsewhere.3/ Gif supports Internet Browser Transparency and animation.4/ If, for instance, you are uploading a graphic to a web page with a white background - or you do not require a transparency - you can still save it as a Gif, however, you will not require the Transparency or Partial Transparency options. Save as usual, as described in this tutorial. 5/ Gifs will give crisp edges to text, while Jpegs may blur the edges.6/ When applying drop shadows to Gifs the quality is not always 100%, it is therefore crucial that you select the Yes blend with background colour tab - from the Partial Transparency box; ensuring the colour matches your website background as close as possible.